TEHRAN – A selection of six old trees, scattered across North Khorasan province, has recently been inscribed on the national heritage list.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts announced the inscriptions on Saturday in separate letters to the governor-general of the northeastern province, CHTN reported.

For millennia, Iranian gardens have combined the magic of nature with the aesthetic qualities of art and architecture to create a symbolic representation of paradise on Earth. UNESCO describes the Persian Garden as an idea that combines natural elements with manmade components to materialize the concept of Eden or Paradise on Earth.

In 2011, a selection of nine Iranian gardens, which bear important architectural, traditional, and cultural elements, was collectively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list under the title of “The Persian Garden.”

The genuine concept of the Persian Garden that is deeply rooted in time interweaves natural elements with manmade components to embody the idea of creating a paradise on Earth by the means of artistic, philosophical, figurative, and religious notions.

According to UNESCO, the flawless design of the Persian Garden, along with its ability to respond to extreme climatic conditions, is the result of an inspired and intelligent application of different fields of knowledge, i.e. technology, water management and engineering, architecture, botany, and agriculture.

Experts believe though the northeastern province may not be the first choice of travelers, its tourism industry is getting momentum.

According to Lonely Planet, most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it’s worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north.

ABU/MG